---
id: CVE-2025-38609
title: 'PM / devfreq: Check governor before using governor->name'
summary: |-
  In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

  PM / devfreq: Check governor before using governor->name

  Commit 96ffcdf239de ("PM / devfreq: Remove redundant governor_name from
  struct devfreq") removes governor_name…
severity: none
vendor: Linux
product: Linux
affected:
  - >-
    Linux >= 96ffcdf239de6f9970178bb7d643e16fd9e68ab9 <
    f0479e878d4beb45e73c03e574c59f0a23ccd176
  - >-
    Linux >= 96ffcdf239de6f9970178bb7d643e16fd9e68ab9 <
    631e101728df2a86b8fb761b49fad9712c651f8a
  - >-
    Linux >= 96ffcdf239de6f9970178bb7d643e16fd9e68ab9 <
    81f50619370045120c133bfdda5b320c8c97d41e
  - >-
    Linux >= 96ffcdf239de6f9970178bb7d643e16fd9e68ab9 <
    d5632359dbc44862fc1ed04093c1f57529830261
  - >-
    Linux >= 96ffcdf239de6f9970178bb7d643e16fd9e68ab9 <
    2731c68f536fddcb71332db7f8d78c5eb4684c04
  - >-
    Linux >= 96ffcdf239de6f9970178bb7d643e16fd9e68ab9 <
    75323a49aa603cf5484a6d74d0d329e86d756e11
  - >-
    Linux >= 96ffcdf239de6f9970178bb7d643e16fd9e68ab9 <
    bab7834c03820eb11269bc48f07c3800192460d2
  - Linux 5.11
ssvc:
  exploitation: none
  automatable: 'no'
  technicalImpact: partial
  timestamp: '2026-11-05T21:05:01.111890Z'
published: '2025-08-19'
updated: '2026-11-05'
sourceUpdated: '2026-11-05T21:12:48.856Z'
source: CVEORG
sourceUrl: 'https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2025-38609'
references:
  - url: 'https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/f0479e878d4beb45e73c03e574c59f0a23ccd176'
  - url: 'https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/631e101728df2a86b8fb761b49fad9712c651f8a'
  - url: 'https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/81f50619370045120c133bfdda5b320c8c97d41e'
  - url: 'https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/d5632359dbc44862fc1ed04093c1f57529830261'
  - url: 'https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/2731c68f536fddcb71332db7f8d78c5eb4684c04'
  - url: 'https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/75323a49aa603cf5484a6d74d0d329e86d756e11'
  - url: 'https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/bab7834c03820eb11269bc48f07c3800192460d2'
tags:
  - cve.org
epss: 0.00166
epssPercentile: 0.05914
ingestedAt: '2026-11-05T22:38:31.999Z'
---

## Overview

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

PM / devfreq: Check governor before using governor->name

Commit 96ffcdf239de ("PM / devfreq: Remove redundant governor_name from
struct devfreq") removes governor_name and uses governor->name to replace
it. But devfreq->governor may be NULL and directly using
devfreq->governor->name may cause null pointer exception. Move the check of
governor to before using governor->name.

## Affected

- `Linux >= 96ffcdf239de6f9970178bb7d643e16fd9e68ab9 < f0479e878d4beb45e73c03e574c59f0a23ccd176`
- `Linux >= 96ffcdf239de6f9970178bb7d643e16fd9e68ab9 < 631e101728df2a86b8fb761b49fad9712c651f8a`
- `Linux >= 96ffcdf239de6f9970178bb7d643e16fd9e68ab9 < 81f50619370045120c133bfdda5b320c8c97d41e`
- `Linux >= 96ffcdf239de6f9970178bb7d643e16fd9e68ab9 < d5632359dbc44862fc1ed04093c1f57529830261`
- `Linux >= 96ffcdf239de6f9970178bb7d643e16fd9e68ab9 < 2731c68f536fddcb71332db7f8d78c5eb4684c04`
- `Linux >= 96ffcdf239de6f9970178bb7d643e16fd9e68ab9 < 75323a49aa603cf5484a6d74d0d329e86d756e11`
- `Linux >= 96ffcdf239de6f9970178bb7d643e16fd9e68ab9 < bab7834c03820eb11269bc48f07c3800192460d2`
- `Linux 5.11`

## Remediation

Refer to the linked advisories for vendor-supplied fixes and affected version ranges.